When discussing the strengths of this Houston Texans team the secondary is often the first to come to mind. The unit is headlined by promising young talent from cornerbacks Derek Stingley Jr. and Desmond King, to standout safety Jalen Pitre.
With the lack of team success in 2022, the promise in this particular unit is overshadowed. Safety Jalen Pitre is often slept on despite one of the more impressive rookie campaigns in recent memory.
Pitre appeared in all 17 contests in 2022, recording a mind-boggling 147 combined tackles, eight defended passes, five interceptions, one sack, and a quarterback hit according to Pro Football Reference. This production is among the top at his position, earning him All-Pro recognition.
Though Pitre’s efforts are flying under the radar, current safety Jordan Love made clear that Pitre deserves more recognition. Appearing on Good Morning Football, Love proclaimed Pitre as the most underrated defensive back in the NFL today.
The MOST underrated DBs in the NFL@_jlove20's picks:
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) July 13, 2023
1. @JalenPitre1
2. @_Tariqwoolen
3. @Brad_B21@CameronWolfe
1. @ajterrell_8
2. Jevon Holland @MiamiDolphins
3. @MikeHilton_28@HoustonTexans @Seahawks @Eagles @AtlantaFalcons @Bengals
Who are we missing?⬇️ pic.twitter.com/b45hqD7d4b
"My number one pick, most underrated defensive back in the league right now, I’m going Jalen Pitre. This guy had a crazy rookie season and no one was talking about him. I think it’s because of the lack of success that the Texans had but this guy had 145 tackles and five picks. That’s unreal."Seahawks safety Julian Love
With the Houston Texans looking to improve upon last season’s turnout, the secondary will play a major role in making that a reality. One of those primary contributors will be Jalen Pitre, who showed last season that he can be a true difference-maker in the second level of the secondary. If Pitre’s play continues to elevate, so will that of the Houston Texans' defense.